The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black No More
by VintageLyre
Summary: There comes a point where everything weighs down and breaks the dam, and that time had come. Unable to stand number twelve Grimmauld Place any longer, Sirius makes the decision to break away, regardless of what the consequences could mean for him.


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So this was written originally for my Harry Potter in the Cultural Phenomenon freshman semiar, as a final project. I just finished it Sunday night, and there are a few mistakes, I know, seeing as I was done around eleven at night. I figured I'd publish it here in order to get some opinions on it. It's always been something I wondered about, how it happend, etc, and so here it is. I hope you like it. Cheers!

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The Most Noble and Ancient House of Black No More

The night was dark and foreboding, warning those inside their homes that all was not well. As it were, there was a storm brewing within number twelve Grimmauld Place, with strong winds and thunder rolling in. A young man, a step away from adulthood, could be found in the confines of his bedroom, lying on his bed. He stared vacantly at the ceiling, his hands resting on his chest, his breathing slow.

Sirius Black's mind was filled with thoughts that were consistently present each night. He never felt as if he was truly coming home during the summer. Compared to his current location, Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizadry was more of a home, a place of comfort, than the house of his parents. He scorned their ideology. He never took the same pride as they did in the knowledge that he came from a pure-blood family of witches and wizards. The entirety of his relatives were the same, all but a select few, who were cast away by their relations because of it.

Even as a child, the mindsets of those around him were peculiar to him, especially after he first attended Hogwarts and met James Potter. Like Sirius, James and his family were also pure-bloods, yet they did not take the same pride in it that his own kin did. It was true that James and he were alike, in the aspect that they looked down on those around them and did take a certain smugness from the fact that they were from ancient lines of pure-bloods. However, they never displayed it they way that many of those from the Slytherin House were prone to doing, and over the years they came to realize that their pure-blood is no different from the half-blooded or muggle-born. In fact, James had defended Lily Evans, a muggle born witch, when Severus Snape had called her a mudblood.

Somewhere below him a clock chimed the hour, breaking Sirius from his thoughts. He shook his head in order to rid himself of them completely, but he knew he never could. His conscience wouldn't allow him. He sighed as he rose from his bed, making his way from his room and down the stairs. Before he could reach the kitchen, he heard low voices coming from the room containing the family tree. He walked quietly to the door and pressed his ear to it, succeeding in making the low murmurs into a louder pitch.

Mr. and Mrs. Black sat on an old daybed behind the closed door. The latter looked absolutely gleeful while Mr. Black's expression resembled nothing short of boredom, as if he couldn't care less about the topic at hand. As it were, he felt a small measure of satisfaction at the news being relayed to him by his wife, though he would never show such an emotion with as much enthusiasm as she. He was raised a Black, to be constantly composed and proud. His wife may have been born a Black as well, but she was a woman, prone to such bouts of emotion and overreaction.

He sighed. "Walburga, is your excitement necessary?"

"Excitement?" she questioned. "Orion, of course! If I didn't know any better I would say you were not affected at all, which would put a great shame upon you, and myself by extension."

Her husband gave her a pointed look. "You know full well that the news is to my liking."

"Yes, yes, of course," she said, waving her hand at him. "I was merely saying."

"Perhaps you should stop."

She paused for a moment, before continuing as if her husband had never spoken. "As I was reading before, it seems that the Dark Lord is gaining much more power and support more quickly. He's had quite some time to do so, and I imagine it's only a matter of time before he rids us of those unworthy to call themselves witch or wizard, as well as all of the useless muggles."

Sirius' breath caught in his throat. That was the _happy news_ that his mother was gloating over? He shook his head angrily as he kept listening to her prattling on about how wonderful the entire affair was. He had to bring himself to walk away, or else he might do something he might regret. His family was angry with him as it was, what with his thoughts being independent of their own.

As he was about to move from the door, he heard his mother begin to discuss his brother and himself, expressing her hope that Sirius would come to his senses and blaming whatever it was that had 'altered him to think differently.' She had often said that it was most likely Dumbledore or the 'wretched Potter boy and his family.' Though James was a pure-blood, Walburga knew that he was not of the same ideology as the Blacks.

"You know what would be ideal?" his mother asked, breaking through the shock that had settled over him.

"No, but I am sure you will tell me," Orion droned.

"Well, it would be absolutely wonderful if Regulus were to join the great cause of the Dark Lord's. Sirius as well, if only he would get rid of his nonsensical notions." She paused. "If only we could get some sense into that boy. You should have put a stop to it when it first began, Orion. What a disgrace to the Black name!"

His father sighed. "He's nothing but a silly boy. Once everything becomes clear to him through the Dark Lord's rise, he will abandon his senseless 'philosophy' and once more join the family inner circle."

"And what if he does not?" his wife asked him, their most dreaded conclusion. "He is soon to be seventeen, not much of a boy."

"Then we will somehow get him to understand, beat it into him. We will _not_ have him stray away. He is the heir."

"But there is still Regulus…" Walburga trailed off at the look her husband gave her.

"Yes, our youngest, but it is always the oldest. The elder son, by right."

"You know as well as I do that Sirius is not the ideal heir. He is disobedient and untrustworthy to follow in your footsteps. Before he went to Hogwarts, I would have agreed with you, but the people there have changed him, and not for the better, I must say."

Orion was silent for a moment before nodded. "All of that is true, however, he is still the elder of the two."

Walburga sneered at him, raising her voice a little. "Oh stop your grand notion of passing the inheritance to the eldest, who is clearly not worthy enough to do so. Regulus is, however: the perfect son."

Orion sighed heavily, knowing his wife's words to be true, yet not quite willing to accept that one of _his_ sons could betray the family in such a way. He never imagined, not even in his darkest nightmares, that one of his own could fall from grace in such a way, could disgrace themselves so thoroughly.

He nodded slowly, consenting to her argument. "We shall see what happens."

"Very well," Walburga yielded, "though he does not deserve such lenience. You should make it plain to him Orion, that you are very displeased with his attitude and behavior, and will not tolerate it for much longer. He should know that our displeasure could very well cost him his inheritance." She paused. "However, if I were you, I wouldn't give him half as much, being the disappointment that he is." She scoffed. "Sorted into Gryffindor, the shame of him!"

His rage taking total control of his mind and body, the strength of it turning his vision red, he burst into the room before he could realize what it was that he was doing. His mother and father turned to him, their shock apparent on their faces, something his father would never have been able to conceal, even with fair warning. The furious expression masking his son's face was enough to shock him without Sirius slamming the door open and walking briskly into the room.

With all of the commotion happening on the upper floor, Regulus Black quickly made his way up the stairs and into the room where the rest of his family was located, which was blanketed by silence and tension. He walked into the room, cautiously avoiding his older brother, and stood closer to his mother near the family tree.

"You think I'm a disappointment?" Sirius began quietly, his words dripping with his anger. His mother looked down her nose at him with distaste while his brother's eyes widened. Of all of the people within their house, he knew Sirius best of all, and with that knowledge, he knew that it was only the calm before the storm.

"Judging by your reaction, you were listening to your father and I speaking with one another. Therefore, you already know the answer to your question," his mother sneered.

His nostrils flared as he clenched his fists, lifting his chin in defiance. "Since you're so kind as to share your opinion with me, I think it's only fair that I share mine as well." He paused, a small smirk breaking through his mask of anger, before he continued on boldly. "You think yourselves so high and so powerful, and refuse to acknowledge that blood means nothing anymore, seeing as there are so very little pure-blood families left.

"I could say that I was disappointed in you, but I think I would have to care more about everything." He took a slow breath in. "I think that you're all despicable. I don't know how you can live the way that you do, without your conscience getting to you. Then again, it could be that you just don't have one. I think that the lot of you need to get over your ridiculous ideology and enter the real world.

"Things don't work the way you want them to or think they do," he snarled. "You need to accept it. I don't care what you think of me or what you think about doing to me." He looked to his brother. "I know it's too late for Regulus, you've convinced him so thoroughly, but it's not too late for me. I don't want any of this," he gesture to his surroundings, as well as the people he had called family since childhood.

"All of this means nothing to me. _You_ mean nothing to me. You're no family, just a nest of vipers, willing to align with other vipers, just as black hearted as you."

Sirius could picture steam coming from his mother's ears and nose, like a dragon's, as she rose to her full height and narrowed her eyes. "How _dare_ you!" she shrieked. "You dare to speak to me in that way. I will not stand for this! You will be punished for your disobedience, boy, if it's the last thing I do. You shame the noble name of Black you ungrateful child!"

Her eldest son took a step forward before he raised his voice to match hers in volume. "I don't care, didn't you hear me? I won't tolerate this insanity any longer! I'm done!"

"Done? What do you mean?" his father stepped in, eyes flashing with his own contained fury.

"I don't want this life anymore, any of it!"

"You unworthy scum, tarnishing the Black name!" his mother shouted, her voice rising in pitch. You blood traitor!" She breathed in raggedly before continuing. "I want you out, get out of my house! You don't deserve anything you've been given!" She turned to her husband. "Get him out, Orion."

His father looked at him, his shock and disappointment clearly displayed, along with his anger. Orion nodded. "You heard your mother."

"She is no mother of mine," Sirius sneered.

"You could never compare to your younger brother!" Walburga Black continued. "Get out of my sight!"

"With the greatest pleasure!" he roared before storming from the room and to his own, throwing his belongings into his chest quickly, making sure to collect everything he would want. Once he was sure he had it all, he pushed his wand into his pocket and grabbed his broom, quickly dragging his trunk down every flight of stairs, out the door, and into the street, slamming the door behind him. He would make sure that he _never_ returned to number twelve Grimmauld Place. It was the last place he wanted to be.

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Still standing in place after her son had run from the room, she listened to the sounds of him packing his belongings and then hastily leaving the house and family he had been a part of since his birth. She could see her youngest run from one side of the room to the other, where the window was, and watch his brother leave him. He had truly looked up to him, especially at school where Sirius was so popular, and now he had been abandoned, left as an only child.

He turned as he saw his mother move from her position, only to pick up a vase and throw it at a wall. She continued to scream and throw things until finally, his father stepped over to her and gripped her arms, shaking her in order to bring her back to herself.

Once he saw his wife returning to a somewhat calm state, Orion released her from his grip and moved away, once more sitting on the daybed. He stared blankly at a wall as she began to pace back and forth, throwing quick glances between her husband and her son. Warlburga came to a halt and turned to look at her husband sharply, clearing her throat to get his attention.

"It would seem," she began maliciously, "that I was right." Orion conceded, nodding his head to show his agreement. "Well then, there's no need to fret. _He_ won't be a problem now. We have one perfect son, all we need." She turned and smiled at Regulus.

"Mother?" he questioned, confusion entering his tone.

"My darling, you have everything now."

"But what about Sirius—"

His mother cut him off quickly. "Do not mention that blood traitor's name ever again, do you understand me?" He nodded swiftly, too afraid to speak. "Good."

She turned from him and began to walk around the room, brushing her hands over pieces of furniture as she went past. Walburga looked to her husband and nodded. "I'm sure you won't object." Without warning, she drew her wand and spun around, blasting Sirius's name from the family tree, before facing her husband once more.

"You have your heir, Orion. Your eldest is no more. As far as I'm concerned, he is nothing, and will always remain as such, the disgrace that he is."

Having spoken her last on her first born, Walburga Black walked from the room, making her way to the dinning room for supper. Orion was left sitting where he was, face expressionless. He knew his wife to be right, and accepted that Sirius would never return, nor grow up to be what Orion had hoped for the moment he was born. His son was another Black on the list of those disinherited, though he never thought it could happen to one of his own flesh and blood. Regulus, on the other hand, would be his pride and joy, a true Black.

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Sirius closed his eyes as he felt the wind against his face, his seat on his broom soothing him, as well as the knowledge that he had finally escaped his prison. Once he had made sure that no muggle could see him, he tied his trunk to his broom and kicked off from the ground, desperate to put as much distance between him and number twelve Grimmauld Place, unsure of his destination.

After a few hours of aimlessly flying, he began to sift through ideas of where he could go. He had very little gold with him and could not take any that was not already within his own possession, therefore staying somewhere in Diagon Alley was not within reach.

After much deliberation, he decided that he would make his way to the Potters', hoping that he would not be imposing on their hospitality, while a part of him argued that he would, showing up unannounced and with the news that he had no where else to go.

Sirius sighed as he finally reached Godric's Hollow, landing on the sidewalk in front of his best mate's house. He brushed his clothed off and unhooked his trunk, holding it and his broom firmly, before forcing himself to amble up the pathway to their front door.

Once he stopped at the door, he took in a deep breath before knocking. Inside the home, the Potters had been enjoying a nice quiet evening, Mrs. Potter watching a sweater being knitted while Mr. Potter sat reading a book in his armchair. The young James Potter could also be found in the same room, reading a book like his father. However, as soon as they heard the knock, they all looked up from what it was that had their attention.

James jumped up from his position, not wanting his parents to make themselves uncomfortable, and went to open the door. He was so thoroughly shocked to his best friend standing before him, his belongings at hand, and his appearance a little disheveled, that he did not hear his mother asking him who it was at the door. Before he could tell her, he found both his mother and his father standing behind him.

"Sirius," Mrs. Potter smiled warmly, "how are you dear?" She took in his appearance and her smile fell slightly. "Is something wrong?" Sirius sighed before nodding.

"Come inside, quickly," Mr. Potter told him. "We don't want you to just stand out there."

James stepped aside in order to let his friend through, watching him closely, looking for any sign to give away what had happened. Either way, he would know soon enough. He helped Sirius carry his trunk in, noticing its weight, and put it by the stairs, before following his parents into the room they previously occupied.

They all took a seat, Mrs. Potter looking at her son's friend in concern. Before she could ask any more questions, James took the opportunity to do so.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Something that's been a long time coming," Sirius stalled, running a hand through his hair. James gave him a piercing look and he sighed deeply once more, before continuing slowly. "My mother and father…well, they've told me to…leave…and I was more than willing." James nodded as Mrs. Potter gasped, grasping Mr. Potter's hand.

"You poor thing! Do you have any where to go? Any family to stay with?" she questioned.

Sirius shook his head as he laughed humorlessly. "My family will have nothing to do with me now, I've been cast away, disinherited."

"Then you have to stay here!" James insisted.

"I couldn't," Sirius protested.

"Of course you can." He turned to his parents. "Mother? Father? You agree, don't you?"

"Yes, James is right. I'll have no arguments," Mr. Potter agreed, smiling kindly.

"For a bit, and then I'll find another arrangement," Sirius consented.

"I dare say you won't," Mrs. Potter told him. "You'll be staying here. Consider this your new home." She smiled, a warm twinkle in her eyes, something his own mother never had.

"I can't impose on you like that, it would be rude of me," Sirius said, hoping that he wouldn't be hurting her feelings.

"You aren't imposing. This will be your home as much as it is ours." She saw Sirius about to protest but cut him off before he could. "You are _always_ welcome here, dear."

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**So what do you think? Good? Bad? Ugly? Honest opinions are best, especially since I wrote this for a grade. I do hope that you liked it!**


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